Patents by Inventor Daniel Connelly

Daniel Connelly has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11664427
    Abstract: A vertical semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having at least one trench therein, and a superlattice layer extending vertically adjacent the at least one trench. The superlattice layer may comprise stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer. Each at least one non-semiconductor monolayer of each group of layers may be constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The vertical semiconductor device may also include a doped semiconductor layer adjacent the superlattice layer, and a conductive body adjacent the doped semiconductor layer on a side thereof opposite the superlattice layer and defining a vertical semiconductor device contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert John Stephenson, Richard Burton, Dmitri Choutov, Nyles Wynn Cody, Daniel Connelly, Robert J. Mears, Erwin Trautmann
  • Publication number: 20220285498
    Abstract: A vertical semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having at least one trench therein, and a superlattice layer extending vertically adjacent the at least one trench. The superlattice layer may comprise stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer. Each at least one non-semiconductor monolayer of each group of layers may be constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The vertical semiconductor device may also include a doped semiconductor layer adjacent the superlattice layer, and a conductive body adjacent the doped semiconductor layer on a side thereof opposite the superlattice layer and defining a vertical semiconductor device contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: ROBERT JOHN STEPHENSON, RICHARD BURTON, DMITRI CHOUTOV, NYLES WYNN CODY, DANIEL CONNELLY, ROBERT J. MEARS, ERWIN TRAUTMANN
  • Patent number: 11387325
    Abstract: A vertical semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having at least one trench therein, and a superlattice liner at least partially covering sidewall portions of the at least one trench and defining a gap between opposing sidewall portions of the superlattice liner. The superlattice liner may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers comprising stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer, with each at least one non-semiconductor monolayer of each group being constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The device may also include a semiconductor layer on the superlattice liner and including a dopant constrained therein by the superlattice liner, and a conductive body within the at least one trench defining a source contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert John Stephenson, Richard Burton, Dmitri Choutov, Nyles Wynn Cody, Daniel Connelly, Robert J. Mears, Erwin Trautmann
  • Publication number: 20210074814
    Abstract: A vertical semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having at least one trench therein, and a superlattice liner at least partially covering sidewall portions of the at least one trench and defining a gap between opposing sidewall portions of the superlattice liner. The superlattice liner may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers comprising stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer, with each at least one non-semiconductor monolayer of each group being constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The device may also include a semiconductor layer on the superlattice liner and including a dopant constrained therein by the superlattice liner, and a conductive body within the at least one trench defining a source contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: ROBERT JOHN STEPHENSON, RICHARD BURTON, DMITRI CHOUTOV, NYLES WYNN CODY, DANIEL CONNELLY, ROBERT J. MEARS, ERWIN TRAUTMANN
  • Patent number: 10879356
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate, and forming a superlattice liner covering bottom and sidewall portions of the trench. The superlattice liner may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming a semiconductor cap layer on the superlattice liner and having a dopant constrained therein by the superlattice liner, and forming a conductive body within the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert John Stephenson, Richard Burton, Dmitri Choutov, Nyles Wynn Cody, Daniel Connelly, Robert J. Mears, Erwin Trautmann
  • Patent number: 10854717
    Abstract: A method for making a FINFET may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor fin with a channel region extending therebetween. At least one of the source and drain regions may be divided into a lower region and an upper region by a dopant diffusion blocking superlattice, with the upper region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the lower region. The dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming a gate on the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideki Takeuchi, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Patent number: 10847618
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor layer, spaced apart source and drain regions in the semiconductor layer with a channel region extending therebetween, and a gate on the channel region. The semiconductor device may further include a body contact in the semiconductor layer and comprising a body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice extending through the body contact to divide the body contact into a first body contact region and an second body contact region with the second body contact region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the first body contact region. The body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a respective plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideki Takeuchi, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Patent number: 10840337
    Abstract: A method for making a FINFET may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor fin with a channel region extending therebetween. At least one of the source and drain regions may be divided into a lower region and an upper region by a dopant diffusion blocking superlattice with the upper region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the lower region. The method may further include forming a gate on the channel region, depositing at least one metal layer on the upper region, and applying heat to move upward non-semiconductor atoms from the non-semiconductor monolayers to react with the at least one metal layer to form a contact insulating interface between the upper region and adjacent portions of the at least one metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideki Takeuchi, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Patent number: 10840335
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor layer with a channel region extending therebetween, and forming a gate on the channel region. The method may further include forming a body contact in the semiconductor layer and including a body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice extending through the body contact to divide the body contact into a first body contact region and an second body contact region with the second body contact region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the first body contact region. The body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a respective plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideki Takeuchi, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Patent number: 10840336
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor layer and at least one contact in the semiconductor layer. The contact may include at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent semiconductor portions of the semiconductor layer and spaced apart from a surface of the semiconductor layer by between one and four monolayers, and a metal layer on the surface of the semiconductor layer above the at least one oxygen monolayer. The semiconductor portion between the oxygen monolayer and the metal layer may have a dopant concentration of 1×1021 atoms/cm3 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Hideki Takeuchi, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Patent number: 10818755
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor layer with a channel region extending therebetween. At least one of the source and drain regions may be divided into a lower region and an upper region by a dopant diffusion blocking superlattice with the upper region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the lower region. The dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming a gate on the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideki Takeuchi, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Patent number: 10777451
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having a trench therein, and a superlattice liner at least partially covering bottom and sidewall portions of the trench. The superlattice liner may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The semiconductor device may further include a semiconductor cap layer on the superlattice liner and having a dopant constrained therein by the superlattice liner, and a conductive body within the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert John Stephenson, Richard Burton, Dmitri Choutov, Nyles Wynn Cody, Daniel Connelly, Robert J Mears, Erwin Trautmann
  • Publication number: 20200161426
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor layer and at least one contact in the semiconductor layer. The contact may include at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent semiconductor portions of the semiconductor layer and spaced apart from a surface of the semiconductor layer by between one and four monolayers, and a metal layer on the surface of the semiconductor layer above the at least one oxygen monolayer. The semiconductor portion between the oxygen monolayer and the metal layer may have a dopant concentration of 1×1021 atoms/cm3 or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: DANIEL CONNELLY, Marek Hytha, Hideki Takeuchi, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Publication number: 20200161428
    Abstract: A method for making a FINFET may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor fin with a channel region extending therebetween. At least one of the source and drain regions may be divided into a lower region and an upper region by a dopant diffusion blocking superlattice, with the upper region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the lower region. The dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming a gate on the channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: HIDEKI TAKEUCHI, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Publication number: 20200161425
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor layer with a channel region extending therebetween, and forming a gate on the channel region. The method may further include forming a body contact in the semiconductor layer and including a body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice extending through the body contact to divide the body contact into a first body contact region and an second body contact region with the second body contact region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the first body contact region. The body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a respective plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: HIDEKI TAKEUCHI, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Publication number: 20200161429
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor layer with a channel region extending therebetween. At least one of the source and drain regions may be divided into a lower region and an upper region by a dopant diffusion blocking superlattice with the upper region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the lower region. The dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming a gate on the channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: HIDEKI TAKEUCHI, DANIEL CONNELLY, MAREK HYTHA, RICHARD BURTON, ROBERT J. MEARS
  • Publication number: 20200161430
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor layer, spaced apart source and drain regions in the semiconductor layer with a channel region extending therebetween, and a gate on the channel region. The semiconductor device may further include a body contact in the semiconductor layer and comprising a body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice extending through the body contact to divide the body contact into a first body contact region and an second body contact region with the second body contact region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the first body contact region. The body contact dopant diffusion blocking superlattice may include a respective plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: HIDEKI TAKEUCHI, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears
  • Publication number: 20200161427
    Abstract: A method for making a FINFET may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor fin with a channel region extending therebetween. At least one of the source and drain regions may be divided into a lower region and an upper region by a dopant diffusion blocking superlattice with the upper region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the lower region. The method may further include forming a gate on the channel region, depositing at least one metal layer on the upper region, and applying heat to move upward non-semiconductor atoms from the non-semiconductor monolayers to react with the at least one metal layer to form a contact insulating interface between the upper region and adjacent portions of the at least one metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: HIDEKI TAKEUCHI, DANIEL CONNELLY, MAREK HYTHA, RICHARD BURTON, ROBERT J. MEARS
  • Patent number: 10621294
    Abstract: A transistor model defines the carrier mobility as a combination of both drift-diffusion mobility and ballistic mobility. The ballistic mobility is calculated based on the assumption that the kinetic energy of carriers near an injection point is no greater than the potential energy difference of carriers near that injection point. The abruptness of the onset of velocity saturation, as well as the asymptotic velocity associated therewith is made dependent on the degree to which the velocity is ballistically limited. The model further takes into account the inertial effects on the velocity and/or charge flux associated with carriers. The model computes the mobility and hence the velocity of carriers in accordance with their positions in the channel both along the direction of the current flow as well as the direction perpendicular to the current flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SYNOPSYS, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel Connelly
  • Patent number: 10593761
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming spaced apart source and drain regions in a semiconductor layer with a channel region extending therebetween. At least one of the source and drain regions may be divided into a lower region and an upper region by a dopant diffusion blocking superlattice with the upper region having a same conductivity and higher dopant concentration than the lower region. The method may further include forming a gate on the channel region, depositing at least one metal layer on the upper region, and applying heat to move upward non-semiconductor atoms from the non-semiconductor monolayers to react with the at least one metal layer to form a contact insulating interface between the upper region and adjacent portions of the at least one metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideki Takeuchi, Daniel Connelly, Marek Hytha, Richard Burton, Robert J. Mears